Apparatus for aging liquors.



J. SEITZ. APPARATUS FOR AGING LIQUORS.

APPLIUATION FILED JULY 13 1908.

1 Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

JOHN 'sEITz, or CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR AGING LIQUORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed July 13, 1908.

Patented Aug. 16, 1910.

Serial No. 443,377.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN SEITz, a citizen of the United States, and aresident of the city of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Aging Liquors; andI do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form apart of this specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for aging liquors of that class setforth in my prior application for patent for Apparatus for aging liquor,filed September 21, 1907, Serial No. 393,961.

The object of the present invention is to subject a liquor to be treatedor aged simultaneously to the action of certain gases and at the sametime to subject the liquor to the action of an electrical current.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an exceedingly simplemechanism for the purpose specified constructed of such material aspermits of ready sterilization and capable of being quickly disassembledfor the purpose of cleaning or repair.

It is also an object of the invention to afford a device of the classdescribed adapted for use with any suitable source of electrical energyand to utilize any preferred gas or gases including atmospheric air inthe treatment.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter described and morefully pointed out and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a central, vertical, longitudinal sectionof a cask of liquor showing the apparatus embodying my invention securedin place therein and ready for operation. Fig. 2 is an enlarged verticalsection of the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a top plan View thereof. Fig. 4: isa detail of one of the parts thereof in top plan view.

As shown in the drawings: A, indicates the cask or barrel to contain theliquor to be treated, and which, of course, may be any cask commercialor otherwise. The apparatus shown is inserted through the bunghole ofthe barrel when the barrel is laid upon its side.

D, indicates a conical bung adapted to fit loosely in the bung hole of abarrel and is constructed of hard rubber or other suitablenon-conducting material not capable of being affected by the liquor.Said bung is provided with an integral flange d, which supports theapparatus on the barrel. Threaded into a central aperture in said bungis a tubular stem 62, of insulating material, conveniently of hardrubber, similar to the bung and having molded therein on opposite sidesof the bore thereof conducting wires (5 each of which is connected withthe slightly enlarged metallic conical projection d on the outer side ofthe stem near the lower end thereof. Secured on the bung by means ofscrews d is a cap E, of insulating material provided with a centraltubular stem 6, extending upwardly in alinement with the downwardlydirected stem d, and threaded into said cap piece are binding posts 6',one on each side of the cap and which, at their inner ends, on the underside of the cap contact metallic contact plates 6 which are soldered orotherwise inte grally connected with the lead wires 0?. Said bindingposts are connected with any suitable source of electrical current. Asshown, the lower end of the tubular stem at, is partly closed by anozzle d which is pro- Vided with radiating apertures whereby the gasdelivere rou tube into the barrel is sprayed outwardly into the liquorand of course, a hose pipe 6, connected with any suitable source ofpressure is connected with the stem e, to deliver the gas to be usedthereto.

The operation is as follows: In operation, the current passes from oneof the condu'ctors to the other through the liquid, either using theliquid alone as the conductor between the ends of the conducting projections d or, if preferred, using a fine wire conductor to connect thesepoints, which of itself would afford considerable resistance to thecurrent, thus permitting a considerable portion of the current to passthrough the liquid and if a current suiiiciently strong were used,tending to heat the Wire conductor and affecting the liquor through theconvective currents thus set up, both by the increased temperature ofthe wire and by the electrical action of the liquor itself. While thisis taking place, atmos heric air ogygen or ozone is-"fo'rced into thecask and into or below the path of the electrical current thus greatlyagitating and aerating the liquor and subjecting the same to anoxidizing action which, together with the electrical action beforereferred to, materially changes the character of the liquor, producingthe same eifect that has usually been thought to necessitate years oftime to accomplish, or in other words, aging.

In this construction, owing to its simplicity, the insertion or removalfrom the opening through the bung or opening is effected without anychange or adjustment of parts.

All parts of the device are chemically inert to any of the gases oringredients contained Within the liquor to be treated which also canreceive no injurious effect therefrom through the contamination of theliquor in the slightest degree and furthermore, being constructed topermit the same to be readily disassembled for cleansing or repair, andthe material adapted to be easily sterilized by boiling, the utmostcleanliness is assured.

Of course, details of the construction may be varied and I therefore donot purpose limiting this application for patent otherwise thannecessitated by the prior art.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a device of the class described, the combination with anelectrically non-conducting bung adapted to fit loosely in the bungaperture of a retaining vessel, a peripheral projection on the bungadapted to station the same in place, said bung having an apertureextending therethrough, a nonconducting tube extending through the bung,electrical conductors in the tube, at their'outer ends adapted forconnection with a source of electricalcurrent, at their inner endprojecting into the liquor, and means for delivering a gas or gases tothe bottom of the liquor to be treated.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with anelectrically non-con ducting bung adapted to fit loosely in the bungaperture of :1 containing vessel, of a project1on thereon adapted tostation the same in place, said bung having an a erture extendingtherethrough, a non-con ucting tube extending through the same,electrical conductors insulated in the tube and at their outer endsadapted for connection with a source of electrical current and at theirinner ends projecting into the liquor and an air ipe communicating withsaid tube for de ivering air to the bottom of the liquor to betreated.

3. In a device of the class described, a hard rubber bung, an integralflange thereon adapted to support the bung loosely in the bung apertureof a containing vessel, a tube extending through the bung and to nearthe bottom of the vessel, conductors insulated in the tube and at theirinner ends extending into the container, and adapted at their outer endsfor connection with a source of current, and an air pipe connected withsaid tube and adapted for connection with a source of air pressure todeliver a gas into a jet of air into the liquor below the exposedconductors.

5. In a device of the class described, a

hard rubber hung, a tube threaded therein and opening therethroughprovided at its bottom with a spray nozzle, conductors connected withand insulated in said tube and extending outwardly therefrom on oppositesides thereof near the bottom and adapted at their upper ends forconnection with a. source of electrical supply.

6. In a device of the class described, a hung of non-conductingmaterial, a tube threaded therein and opening therethrough, a spraynozzle secured on the inner end of the tube, insulated conductors insaid tube on opposite sides of the passage, said conductors with theirnon-insulated ends extending outwardly therefrom near the bottom andadapted at their upper ends for connection with a source of electricalsupply and means admitting air under pressure into said tube.

7. In a device of the class described, a bung of non-conducting materialadapted to fit loosely in the bung aperture of a cask, a

pipe extending therethrough also of insulating material, metallicconductors inserted in said pipe and opening through opposite sidesthereof near the lower end, blnding posts connected with the outer endsof sald conductors and a pipe connected with the upper end of said pipeto admit air therethrough.

8. In a liquor aging apparatus, a single gas tube adapted to admit a gastherethrough into the liquor being treated and positive and negativeconductors in said gas tube extending outwardly from the sides of thetube.

9. In a device of the class described, a nonconducting hung, anon-conducting member extending axial therefrom having a passagetherethrough, a positive and a negative conductor in said member andconductors connected with the positive and negative conductors andprojectlng from the sides of said member.

10. A liquor treating and aging device, comprising a single tubeor pipe,a spray nozzle 1n the end thereof and positive and negative conductorsextending nearl the length of the tube and then through the sidesthereof.

11. A liquor treating and aging device, comprising a bung, a cap securedthereto, contact plates between the cap and the bung, plugs secured tothe cap adapted to engage the contact plates, a pipe extending from thebung, conductors secured thereto electrically connected with the contactplates, a tube secured to the cap having the bore in alinement with thebore in the pipe and a hose connected to the tube.

12. In a liquor aging apparatus a single tube of insulating materialadapted to admit a fluid therethrough and conductors insulated by thetube and having non-insulated ends extending outwardly through oppositesides of the tube and into the liquor being treated.

13. In a device of the class specified a single member having a passagefor delivering gas and positive and negative conductors in the gas tubenon-insulated at the ends and extending oppositel into the liquor beingtreated and means or supporting the member in operation.

14. In a device of the class described a supporting member, a hollowmember secured thereto, conductors secured to the hollow member exposedat their inner ends, contact members connected with the opposite ends ofthe conductors, a member for concealing the same, contact posts securedto said member and contacting said contact members and means secured toone of said members and adapted to admit a gas into the hollow member.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN SEITZ.

Witnesses:

C. W. HILLS, K. E. HANNAH.

